What to do when you find Stranded Loggerhead Sea turtles

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To see these magnificent creatures make their way up the beach, dig a hole with their flippers, lay their eggs, carefully cover up their nest, camouflage the site and return to the ocean is a rare and special experience, especially in view of the fact that the loggerhead is listed as vulnerable and the leatherback listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

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On the beaches of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa thousands of loggerhead and leatherbacksea turtles hatch. They head to sea and are carried southward by the warm Agulhas Current. Many of these hatchlings find themselves stranded on beaches of the Cape's South Coast.

Photo: This baby Loggerhead turtle was found on Grotto Beach

What to do if you spot a stranded turtle

Remove the turtle from the beach

Keep it dry and at room temperature – DO NOT place the turtle in water

At the Two Oceans Aquarium the stranded turtles are rehabilitated until they are strong and healthy. They are then sent to uShaka Sea World in Durban where they are released into the warmer waters off the KwaZulu-Natal coast.